Slow, quiet injuries are a risk to workers

On behalf of Christopher Canlas of Canlas Law Group, APLC posted in blog on Tuesday, June 13, 2017.

There are dozens of injuries you could suffer from on the job, and many happen due to accidents or sudden traumatic events. Others are dangerous because they're lurking beneath the surface. Your organs or bones may be suffering without you even knowing it.

Illnesses caused by toxic exposure, musculoskeletal injuries and other hazards can build up over time. There is no sudden accident that causes the injury, so you must be able to prove that it's a work-related injury through your doctor's diagnosis and other methods.

For example, one common workplace injury is a repetitive-strain injury. This injury happens when you complete the same task over and over again. This is particularly common among those working in factories, because they're expecting to do the exact same movement multiple times per minute.

The wear and tear on the body is immense with this kind of injury, but it doesn't happen all at once. You might notice feeling sore or aches and pains you didn't have before. Months or years later, it could progress into an injury that requires rehabilitation, surgery or other treatments.

Exposure is another cause of serious illnesses on the job. For instance, mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. It often does not produce symptoms until years after exposure. It's normal not to know you have this cancer until 10 to 50 years after working with asbestos, making it particularly dangerous.

One thing to think about when you work is that overtime puts you at a higher risk of developing injuries like those above. If you're working more than 40 hours a week, it's that much more important to make sure you get medical checkups regularly. If you work a lot and find that you suffer an injury, it's your employer's responsibility to file a claim through workers' compensation to help you get the compensation you need. If he or she will not allow the claim to be processed, then you may have a claim against your employer for preventing your right to workers' compensation.

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